Shaq now has a new game, nearly two decades later, called ShaqDown. It costs a buck. So we downloaded it and… actually, it doesn’t stink. Hiptic Games might have finally given Shaq a game he can be somewhat proud of.

It helps, a lot, that the game is aware of precisely how ridiculous the concept of a former NBA player being the sole remaining warrior against hordes of crafty zombies actually is:

The game plays a lot like the old Tiger Electronics games, except with far better graphics and sound and more of a sense of humor. Shaq offers his own voice, and while he’s not the greatest voice actor, it’s pleasantly cheesy to hear him try his best. And, yes, the game is rife with Shaq puns. Remember to earn Shaqra!

The art design is also slightly cheesy, but there’s some talent behind it. Specifically, Street Fighter artist Long Vo.

In terms of gameplay, it’s an infinite runner that’s slightly more complex than most, but not exactly hard to master. You throw basketballs, as you may have guessed, and jump between levels to bowl over zombies. There are different moves and specials, but really the gameplay is fairly simple. Good thing the game itself is only three levels long!

Is it going to wipe away the ignominy that is that terrible fighting game? No. But on the other hand, it is nice to see Shaq finally catch a break.

While ShaqFu might be a terrible game the story behind it is awesome. Who else would take a proprietary fighting engine and throw Shaq in because their licensing deal was about to run up? It’s pure gold.